Congressional action exempting large cruise ships from having to stop in Canada on their summer voyages to Alaska will provide a boost to heavily tourism-dependent Southeast communities. Although Wrangell was never on the itineraries of the largest ships, it’s possible the town may see some additional visitors with the change in U.S. law.
Without the temporary exemption from a century-old U.S. maritime law, the foreign-registered ships would have been required to stop in Canada, which has not been possible since the country shut down its ports to cruise ship traffic in the early days of the pandemic last year.
Regardless of whether any more ships pull into Wrangell over the next few months, several smaller tour boats and a couple of mid-size ships are scheduled to come to town, and the borough is making plans to accommodate the ships and their passengers under COVID-19 safety protocols.
The 49-passenger Baranof Dream is scheduled to call on Wrangell this Friday, the first of three boats operated by Sitka-based Alaska Dream Cruises to come to town this summer. The three boats are scheduled for a total of 29 port calls through mid-September, according to the borough’s cruise ship calendar.
The 170-passenger American Constellation, operated by American Cruise Lines, is a U.S.-flagged vessel and its Southeast voyage was not jeopardized by Canada’s decision to close its ports to cruise ship traffic. The 267-foot-long ship is scheduled to make the first of its five stops in Wrangell on June 5.
The Constellation also is scheduled to be in town for the start of the Fourth of July holiday, July 1-2.
The Silver Muse, operated by Silversea Cruises, is on the calendar for three stops in Wrangell in August, with capacity for almost 600 passengers.
Borough staff has heard that the 735-foot Seven Seas Explorer, with capacity to carry 750 passengers and a crew of 550, “may call on Wrangell, and possibly a couple of other cruise lines, but have received no formal notices from Cruise Line Agency of Alaska,” Carol Rushmore, Wrangell’s economic development director, advised the borough assembly for its Tuesday evening meeting.
The borough will update its cruise ship schedule as it confirms company plans, she said.
American Cruise Lines and Alaska Dream Cruises have both provided a copy of their safety and health plans to the borough for review, Rushmore wrote. “Alaska Dream Cruises is requiring all crew and passengers to be vaccinated. American Cruise Line has same requirement through end of June and, according to their plan, will then reevaluate.”
Borough staff met last Friday with local tour operators that use the city dock and summer floats during the visitor season for the annual pre-season meeting “to discuss needs, issues, dock and summer float traffic and requirements,” Rushmore advised the assembly.
Items discussed included the need to have face masks and hand sanitizer for tour operators, and hydrostatic cleaners for tour vessels and buses.
Rushmore said the borough has confirmed with the Wrangell Medical Center that it is prepared to receive COVID-positive patients from a ship “should the need arise,” and the borough plans to retain its leased isolation site at the old Sourdough Lodge through the end of September.
“The isolation site provides a location for visitors who may test COVID positive to isolate safely so they can disembark from a cruise ship in Wrangell if necessary,” Rushmore advised in her memo to the assembly. The borough is using federal funds to cover the lease payments.
Reader Comments(0)